As Wimbledon looms, Alex de Minaur has sent a powerful reminder of his ability to thrive on grass in s-Hertogenbosch.
The Australian No.1 stormed into the final of the ATP 250 tournament, overwhelming Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, a former champion in the Dutch city, 6-4 6-1 in the semifinals.
De Minaur turned on the power to take the last 10 games, transforming a close-fought contest into a one-sided parade to reach his 21st career final.
“It's been exactly what we're looking for coming here. Obviously getting some matches, getting a good first week on the grass and hopefully playing for the title,” he said.
De Minaur will launch an eighth main-draw campaign at Wimbledon in a fortnight aiming to improve on his previous best performance as a quarterfinalist at the All England Club in 2024.
First, however, there’s the goal to lift a second trophy in s-Hertgenbosch, with De Minaur also crowned champion at the event in 2024.
Awaiting him in the final is Poland's world No. 76 Kamil Majchrzak who upset the third-seeded Russian, Daniil Medvedev, 7-6(4) 6-1.
“We've got one more match to go. It's been a great week but of course it would be an even better week if we finished off tomorrow,” said De Minaur.
A blazing semifinal finish bodes well for the tournament’s second seed.
Mannarino had initially looked like making a fight of it, leading 3-0 and 4-2 in the first set before a run of unforced errors allowed De Minaur to hit the turbo-boost button and complete an emphatic win.
De Minaur declared himself "super happy" with the victory. "It was a very tricky match against a tricky opponent and tricky conditions.
"There was not a lot of top spin being played today, so it made some interesting rallies and I'm super happy to be here in the final."
A third straight-sets win in s-Hertogenbosch this week placed De Minaur course for a rare Dutch double.
Having lifted the ATP 500 trophy in Rotterdam in February, he can now emulate local hero Richard Krajicek, the only player to have won both Dutch ATP Tour titles in the same season in 1997.
“I just think it's a place where I just play some good tennis. I feel calm, I feel focused, and always kind of energised,” De Minaur said of his success in the nation.
“And it's brought out some of my best tennis, so I just wish there were more tournaments here.”
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Ajla Tomljanovic, meanwhile, fell in her attempt to reach the women's final in s-Hertogenbosch, bowing out 6-4 6-2 to American Robyn Montgomery.
But the Australian will take several positives from her performance in the rain-interrupted WTA tournament.
Defeat came hours after she had completed a quarterfinal victory over another American, Caty McNally, in a match suspended overnight with the Aussie leading 6-4 4-1.
She took just minutes to dispel a 0-3 head-to-head record with McNally, polishing off a 6-4 6-1 success.
That put her through to her first tour-level semifinal since Rabat 2025, and first on grass since Birmingham 2024.
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